Lubricator for chains



W. W. TRIPP LUBRICATOR FOR CHAINS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 17 1925 2. 1. illllllfllfllllllill.7lfllll an ra?25555541151 Ill a .5

INVENTOR Weaver 1*]- Trqap BY ATTORNEYS WITNESSES 1% a. 05 6M Oct. '5 1926. 1,601,780

f lIIV/l/d W. W. TRIPP LUBRICATOR FOR CHAINS Filgd Dec. 17 1925 5. Sheets-Sheet 2 I l l "I I 4 ll H' n I I I I II I HH/{// 2 3 W;: ;i

r. I l I INVENTUR WITNESSES 2 J1 W qver' W Tripp ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 5, 1926 7 entries STATES 1 Lama PATENT eerie.

WEAVER V/ILSON TRIPP, GE BEEBANE, NORTH CAROLINA, ASSIGNOR 6F ONE-HALF TO DE VIITT BURNS, OF DURHAIYI, NORTH CAROLINA.

LUBRIOATQR FOR CHAINS.

Application filed Becember 17, 1525. Serial No. 76,038.

My invention relates to improvements in lubricators for chains, and'it consists in the combinations, constructions and arrangements herein described and claimed.

An object of the invention is the provision of a sii'nple, reliable and eificient lubricator which affords facilities for feeding a lubricant onto the links of a chain which is mounted for movement within a case.

7 A further object of the invention is the provision of a lubricator of the character described which is adapted to be associated with a case or housing in which the chain is mounted so that the same oil or other suitable fluid lubricant can be used repeatedly to lubricate the chain.

A stillfurther object of the invention is the provision of a lubricating device having a pump and an adjustable drive mechanism for operating the pump to vary within limits the volume of lubricant which will be delivered to an associated chain.

A still further object of the in ention is I the provision in a lubricating device of the character described and a drive mechanism which is adapted to operate the pump at a relatively low" speed.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a View, partly in Vertical section and partly in side elevation, showing a lubricating device embodying the invention associated with a chain and certain other elements of a spinning or twisting frame.

Figure 2 is an elevation of a portion of the structure exhibited in Figure 1, the view being substantially at right angles to Figure 1 and showing the case in which the chain is housed partially broken away,

Figure 3 is a section substantially along the line 3-3 of Figure 1, and

Figure 4 is a section substantially along the line 44 of Figure l.

A lubricator embodying the invention is adapted particularly for use to effect the lubrication of a chain of the so-called silent type. In Figure 1, the numeral 1 generally designates the supporting frame or structure of a spinning or twister frame. A closed case or housing 2 is supported on the frame structure 1 in any suitable known manner and may have the shape best seen in Figure 2. The spaced sprockets 3 and 4, respet tii-ely are disposed within the housing 2 and a chain 5 is trained about these sprockets. The lower part of the housing 2 is adapted to hold liquid and constitutes a re:eptacle for lubricating oil. It of course willbe understood that the housing 2 may include a removable cover section or lid which can be opened to permit oil ,/to be placed within the lower part of the housing. A pump cylinder extends transversely of the housing 2 below the level of the lower stretch of the chain and may comprise an intermediate section 6 and end sections '7 and 8, respectively, the intermediate section 6 being connected with the end section 7 by a close nipple 9 which has one end portion thereof threadedly engaged with the adjacent end portion of the section 6 and the other end portion thereof threadedly engaged with the end section 7, the nipple 9 extending through a suitable opening 10 in a wall of the housing 2 and the end section 7 being screwed onto the nipple 9 to closely contact with the outer face of the adjacent wall of the housing when the adj acent end of the intermediate section 6 likewise is in close contact with the inner face of said one wall of the housing 2. The oppositeend portion of the middle section 6 of the pump cylinder is connected by a nipple 11 with the end section 8 of the pump cylinder so that the end section 8 is clamped against the outer wall of the housing 2 while the adjacent end of the middle section 6 is clamped against the inner face of the outer wall of the housing 2. The nipple 11 extends through an opening 12 in the outer wall of the housing 2. The nip ples 9 and 11 may be in threaded engagement with the openings in the housing through which they extend, whereby the pump cylinder will be firmly supported in place to extend transversely through the lower part of the housing 2. The outer'end portion of the end section 8 is swaged inwardly to produce an axial opening at 13, the wall of which is provided with screw threads for engaging with screw threads on a suitable fitting 14 whereby the end section 8 of the pump cylinder is connected with a tubular conduit 15. The latter extends upwardly for part of its lengthand communicates "with the interior of the upper part of a feed reservoir or oil cup 16. The feed reservoir or cup 16 has an outlet in the form of a flanged nipple 17 which is in comn'lunication with the lower part of the oil cup 16 and is connected by means of a suitable pipe fitting, such as the nipple 18, with the outer end of a tubular nozzle or discharge pipe 19 which is disposed within the housing 2 and extends between the stretches of the chain transversely of the housin 2', the nipple 13 extending through a suitable opening in the outer wall of the housing 2 and preferably being in threaded engagement with the wall of the opening 1n the outer wall of the housing 2 through which it extends as well as with the nozzle 19 and the outlet member 17. he nozzle 19 is closed at its inner end and is provided with spaced apertures 20 in its lower part through which oil may pass by gravity and drip onto the links of the chain 5.

The middle section 6 of the pump cylinder is provided adjacent to its inner end with an intake opening 21 in its upper part through which oil may pass from the space within the housing 2 into the pump cylinder. The nipple 9 has a bore of relatively slight area in cross section and the end section T of the pump cylinder is swaged in wardly as indicated at 22 to conform in configuration and cross sectional contour to the bore of the nipple 9. A piston 23 is reciprocable in the pump cylinder between the nipples 9 and 11 and is adapted to be actuated by a piston rod which includes a section 24. The section 24 is secured firmly at its inner end in any suitable known manner to the piston. 23 and extends slidably through the bore of the nipple 9 and through the opening 22 at the outer end of the end section 7. The piston rod also includes a section 25 which is connected by ahorizontal pivot element 26 to the section 24 and which therefore may swing in a vertical plane about the axis of the pivot element 26.

The operation of the structure which has been described so far will be readily understood. When the piston 23 has moved against the nipple 9, oil may flow from the lower part of the housing 2 through the intake opening 21 into the pump cylinder between the piston and the inwardly swaged outer end portion of the end section 8. As the piston moves toward the end sect-ion 8, oil is forced from the pump cylinder through the conduit 15 into the feed reservoir 16, whence it flows by gravity into the nozzle 19 and thence through the apertures 20 onto the links of the chain 5. The chain 5 thus will. be kept thoroughly lubricated so long asthe piston is reciprocating and so long as there is suiiicient oil in the lower part of the housing 9. to cover the middle section of the pump cylinder. The

oil drips from the chain into the lower. part of the housing 2 and of course is used repeatedly without the necessity of renewal or replacement.

It is desirable that the piston shall be re ciprocated at a relatively low speed and it also is desirable that the means for operating the piston rod shall be adjustable so that the speed of reciprocation of the piston can be varied within limits when desired to vary the rate of feeding of the oil to the oil cup 16. When the device is applied to a spinning or twister frame and is used to lubricate a chain, which is an ordinary part of a spinning or twister machine, I may make use of the motion transmitting mecha ism which is illustrated to advantage in Figure 1 for transmitting motion from a rock shaft 27, which is an ordinary part of the spinning or twister machine, to the piston rod so that the piston rod will be re ciprocated at a relatively low speed. The rock shaft 27 may be rocked in any suitable known manner as by connections, not shown, with the usual lifter mechanism, also not shown. The rock shaft also maybe supported in any suitable known manner, as by means of hanger hooks, such as that shown at 28 as depending from a beam 29 or horizontal member of the frame of the spinning or twister machine. A rocker head 30 is secured to the rock shaft 27, as: by means of the set screw 31 and has oppositely estendingarms 32 and 33, respectively. A pivot pin 34 may be projected through any one of a series of tranverse openings 35 in the arm 33' and through any one of the series of openings 36 in the lower end portion of a link 37, whereby the link will be adjustably and pivotally connected with the arm 33'. l I

The upper end portion of the link 37 is provided with a seriesv of transversely extending spaced openings 38. An arm 39 is connected at one end by a horizontal pivot element 40 to a bracket 41 which is secured on a supporting member of the frame of the spinning or twister machine in any suitable known manner, as by means of the set screw 42. The arm 39 is provided with a series of spaced transverse openings 43' and a horizontal pivot pin 44 may be projected through any one of the openings '38; and through any one of the openings 43' to, ad justably and pivotally connect the upper end portion of the link 37 with the armv 39. A crank shaft 45 is journaled in a transverse opening in a. laterally enlarged portion 46 at the outer end'of'the arm 39. The crank shaft 45 carries a crank which comprises a crank pin 47 which extends through a longitudinal slot 48 in a crank arm 49 and is journaled in a transverse opening 50 in a block 51 which is in threaded engagement with the section 25 of the pistonrod. The crank in; no

shaft 47 also carries a ratchet wheel 51 which is secured to the crank shaft. A pivoted gravity pawl 52 is carried by an extension 53 at the extremity of the arm 89 and is adapted to engage with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 51 to prevent rotation of the ratchet wheel in one direction, which is shown in Figure l as being in a counter clockwise direction. i; rack bar 5% for actuating the ratchet wheel 51 to turn the lat ter in the opposite direction is pivotally and adjustably connected at its lower end to the arm 32 of the rocker head 30 by means of a horizontal pivot pin 55 which extends through any one of a plurality of openings 56 in the arm 32 and through a transverse opening in the lower end portion of the rack bar The connection of the rack bar 5% with the arm 32 of the rocker head is adjacent to the lower end portion of the rack but spaced therefrom and a retractile spring 57 is connected at one end-with the lower end portion'of the rack bar below said arm 32. and is connected at its opposite end to the rocker head 30. The retractile spring 57 functions to swing the upper end portion of the rack bar 54 toward the ratchet wheel 51 so that the teeth of the rack bar will be held continuously against the toothed periphery of the ratchet wheel.

As the rock shaft 27 is rocked about its axis, the arms and 33 will move up and down in opposite directions. During the upward movement of the rack bar 54-, the teeth of the rack bar will slide over the teeth of the ratchet wheel without imparting motion to the latter. During the downward movement of the rack ba 5%, the teeth of the rack bar will engage with the teeth of the ratchet wheel and will rotate the ratchet wheel in a clockwise direction. The crank shaft thus will be rotated about its axis as a result of a plurality of oscillations of the rocker arm 32 and the piston 23 will be slowly reciprocated in the pump cylinder. The crank pin l"? may be adjusted along the slot 48 to vary the throw of the crank and therefore to vary the distance which the plunger 23 will travel in the pump cylinder during each complete reciprocation of the plunger. Also, the connections of the link 37 with the arm 39 and the rocker arm may be varied to vary the length ofthe operating stroke of the rack bar, whereby the number of reciprocations of the rack bar that are required to effect a complete rotation of the crank shaft will be correspondingly varied.

The drive mechanism for the piston rod may vary according the particular machine with which the lubricator is associated.

Obviously, my invention is susceptible of embodiment in forms other than that illustrated in the accompanying drawing and I ing and having an intake opening through which oil may pass from said oil receptacle to the pump casing, a tubular nozzle supported within the housing above the lower stretch of said chain said nozzle being closed at its free end and having openings in its lower wall through which oil may drip onto the links of said chain, and fluid conducting means connecting the outlet of the pump casing with said nozzle.

2. The combination with a housing having the lower part thereof adapted tohold oil and an endless chain movably supported within the housing above the oil receptacle, of a pump casing extending transversely of the housing below the level of the oil within said housing, said pump casing having an intake opening through which oil may pass from said housing into the pump casing, a feed cup supported above the level of the lower stretch of said endless chain, a nozzle leading from said feed cup into the housing and extending above the lower stretch of the chain, said nozzle being closed at its free end and having spaced openings in its lower wall through which oil may drip onto said chain, a piston reciprocable in said pump casing and a tubular conduit connecting the outlet of the pump casing with the upper part of said feed cup. 2 v

3. The combination with a housing having the lower part thereof adapted to hold oil and an endless chain movably supported within the housing above the oil receptacle, of a pump casing extending transversely of the housing below the level of the oil within said housing, said pump casing having an intake opening through which oil may pass from said housing into the pump casing, a feed cup supported above the level of they lower stretch of said endless chain, a nozzle leading from said feed cup into the housing and extending above the lower stretch of the chain, said nozzle being closed at its free end and having spaced openings in its lower Wall through which oil drip onto said chain, a piston reciprocable in said pump casing, a tubular conduit connecting the outlet of the pump casing with the upper part of'said feed cup, and motion transmitting means for driving said piston.

4. The combination with a housing having the lower part thereof adapted to hold oil and an endless chain movably supported within the housing above the oil receptacle, of a pump casing extending transversely of therefore consider as my own all such modithe housing below the level of the oil within Ill) said housing, said pump casing having an intake opening through which oil may pass from said housing into the pump casing, a feed cup supported above the level of the lower stretch of said endless chain, a nozzle leading from said teed cup into the housing and extending above the lower stretch of the chain, said nozzle being closed at its free end and having spaced openings in its lower wall through which oil may drip onto said chain, a piston reciprocable in said pump casing, a tubular conduit connecting the outlet of the pump casing with the upper part of said teed cup, and motion transmitting means for driving said piston, said driving means being adjustable to vary the extent of reciprocation oi said piston.

5. The combination with a housing for chain, the lower part of the housing adapted to hold oil, of a pump casing having an intake opening through which oil may pass from said housing into the pump casing, a feed cup supported outside of the housing at a level higher than that of at least a portion of the chain, fluid conducting means connecting the outlet of the pump casing with the upper part of said feed cup, and other fluid conducting means leading from the lower part oi the feed cup into the housing and being adapted to discharge oil onto a portion of the chain within the housing.

6. The combination with a housing for a chain, the lower part of the housing being adapted to hold oil, of a pump casing having an inlet through which oil may pass from said housing into the pump casing, and fluid delivery means connected with the outlet of the pump casing and extending for part of its length exteriorly of the housing for the chain, said fluid delivery means having a portion extending into the housing and being adapted to discharge oil onto the chain within the housing.

WEAVER WILSON TRIPP. 

